That Interesting Dance When Bugs Attack
For those of you who may be intimidated by pesky critters, you’ll love this story. It’s one of those that highlights how no good deed goes unpunished. My son recently asked me to do him a yard work favor and mow his lawn.
Let me start by saying that in my 30-plus years in pest management, I have never been attacked by Bees, Yellow Jackets, Wasps or Hornets. The key to my success is to always be aware of my surroundings (being raised in the Bronx will do that to you), as well as understanding the behavior of each insect. What does this have to do with me mowing my son’s lawn?
I have seen others do it – that interesting dance. No, not like the ones seen on Dancing with the Stars. It’s the spring and summer ritual – your hands and arms flaring wildly, with the fancy skipping and crazy body gyrations. It’s the dance that results from getting too close to the entrance of a Yellow Jacket nest in the ground as you mow the lawn or sit near a Bee hive hidden under your patio table.
Yes, I found myself performing that interesting dance. That’s what I get for not following my own rule to always be aware of my surroundings. I had mowed over a hive of ground Bees and did not realize it until I turned the mower off and heard the loud buzzing of an angry swarm behind me.
I ran past my wife, daughter-in-law and friends, flaring away as I made it into the house. A good laugh was had by all who witnessed my performance of that interesting dance. Humbling as this account was, I can still hear you say, I’d like to see that.
The pest tip to be learned here:
Always inspect the area you are doing yard work in before disturbing a nest.